Alpha Orion’s Wolfless Warrior

12| SPARRING

HAYLEE

“Challenge him to a spar. Fight him.” She threw my knife at me, and I barely caught it.

I almost choked on my words as I stuttered, “W-What?”

Piper’s lips pulled into an innocent smile. “You heard me. Go fight him, sissy. I want to watch.”

I shook my head, glancing down at my fingers that were still covered in barely healed bruises.

“I’m hurt. Can’t you see it?” I shoved my fingers in her face. She took her head back before my fingers could touch her, then frowned.

“Haylee. I need you to do this. For me. For my peace of mind. I see the way you two look at each other and act around each other. It’s only been a few days! I need to see what happens with close, physical contact. You’re never afraid to fight anybody. And I mean anybody, so know I won’t buy it if you give the excuse of not having your wolf to fight Orion. And just so you know, I’ll step away from this marriage if you refuse to challenge him.”

I frowned. “What? You’re going to threaten me with the marriage too?”

Her shoulder lifted in a shrug. “If I have to. I don’t mind a war, Haylee. You know it. I’m ready to risk my life and the lives of everyone in this pack for your happiness.”

“I don’t need a man to be happy.”

“Mhmm. I know. But it’s a good addition, don’t you think?” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. She pushed me gently to the front. “Alright. There you go. Go ask him.”

She clapped twice, and raised a brow in silent challenge when I glanced back at her.

“I asked everyone to take their positions. Haylee. Piper.” I turned around so fast at the found of Orion’s voice, my neck nearly snapped in two. His eyes stayed trained on me. Damn, could he stop being so commanding? My body tingled in all the wrong places, and I couldn’t be feeling like that right now.

He went on, “Are you two okay?”

“We are.” Piper chimed before I could say anything. She pushed me forward. I turned to shoot her a glare.

She completely ignored me, telling him, “Haylee wants to tell you something.”

My cheeks burned up, and I knew I was already losing this battle. I couldn’t even look him in the eye.

The entire booth felt like it had gone dead silent, like everyone was waiting for me to speak.

“Pea—Haylee.” He cleared his throat at the same time my head snapped up, the feeling of horror sinking deep in my stomach. He almost called me…

“Haylee,” he went on, an obvious strain in his voice now. “What do you want to tell me? Are you still feeling sick?”

“I’m not.” I said, deciding to drop the chicken feet. “I… want to challenge you, Orion.”

I didn’t have the best hearing. But I could swear I would be able to hear a pin drop with this silence. Every werewolf in here could definitely hear how loud my heart was beating in my chest, and it wasn’t long before they all burst out laughing.

Without turning, I could tell that Piper had started to regret her actions. When her palm touched my arm, I shook her grip off.

Maintaining eye contact with Orion, I tilted my head.

“What’s it going to be?”

Orion didn’t say anything for a long moment, before turning to the rest of the warriors.

“What do you guys think? Will you spare your training time for a spar?” He questioned casually, like he needed to just casually handle a matter and would be back.

“For this spar?” One person asked. “Hell yes!”

Orion nodded. He motioned towards a warrior who started to step forward with his sword. Jane rushed and knocked the person down, handing her own sword over to him.

“Here’s a sword for you, big guy.” Her voice suddenly became sultrier than I’d ever heard before. He nodded without looking at her. I rolled my eyes.

Men are always so f*****g oblivious.

‘What’s with the eye roll, peach?’ He linked. I resisted the urge to do another one.

‘I don’t see how that’s any of your business. Are you fighting or not?’

‘I don’t want to.’ He confessed. ‘Do I have to?’

‘You must.’ I snapped. ‘And I don’t need your mercy. Don’t you dare show me any mercy. If you let me win… I’ll never talk to you ever again.’

There was a pause in the connection. I stared up at him to see if his attention had strayed, but I met the most focused pair of eyes.

He replied then, ‘Now we wouldn’t want that happening, would we?’

He rotated his sword with his fingers in front of him, pressed the tip to the ground, leaning into it.

I ignored his last question. “What are we doing?”

“Countdown?”

“Mmmm…” I pretended to think for a while, then pushed forward and struck his chest with the sword. He grunted and sped to the side before the other strike could hit him again, this time on the stomach.

“Less talking, more fighting, Orion! Alpha, let’s see those skills!” I shouted, and he charged towards me then. This had nothing to do with werewolf speed. He ran faster than anyone I’d seen run normally, and I barely escaped the strike of his knife.

The tip of the sword cut open the side of my shirt. His eyes checked me, like he was afraid he’d done more damage.

“Full contact, no holding back!” I coaxed. “Come on, alpha. Afraid of hurting a wolfless girl—.”

He struck then, and I swerved the sword, but ended up twisting my back in the process. A loud crack filled the quiet room, and pain shot through my spine.

He started to rush towards me and I used those few seconds of worry to strike him with the sword again, three consecutive times before he slammed into me, tackling me to the ground.